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Hamlet: Arden Performance Editions

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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Hamlet follows the young Prince Hamlet, who returns from university to find his kingdom troubled and his family shaken by his father's death and his mother’s swift remarriage to his uncle. Haunted by his father’s ghost demanding revenge, Hamlet grapples with action and reflection, setting off a tragic chain of events that threaten his family’s fate.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$1899
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Designed for actors, drama students, teachers, and anyone engaging with Shakespeare on stage or in study, especially those appreciating clear annotations and a user-friendly format that supports performance and deep textual understanding.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The young Prince Hamlet, returning from university, finds his Kingdom in disarray: ‘something is rotten in the state of Denmark’. With his father dead, and his uncle and mother marrying, Hamlet is confronted by an armored ghost, who, claiming to be the King, implores him to enact revenge upon the newlyweds and restore order to the realm. Yet, Hamlet’s ability to act conflicts with his will to think: curing the rot and stabilising the kingdom will unleash a series of tragedies that threaten to ruin his entire family.

Arden Performance Editions are ideal for anyone engaging with a Shakespeare play in performance. With clear facing-page notes giving definitions of words, easily accessible information about key textual variants, lineation, metrical ambiguities and pronunciation, each edition has been developed to open the play’s possibilities and meanings to actors and students. Designed to be used and to be useful, each edition has plenty of space for personal annotations and the well-spaced text is easy to read and to navigate.

Each edition offers:

  • Short, clear definitions of words
  • Information about key textual variants
  • Notes on pronunciation of difficult names and unfamiliar words
  • An easy to read layout with space to write your own notes
  • A short introduction to the play

Series: Arden Performance Editions

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  • Hamlet: Arden Performance Editions
    The young Prince Hamlet, returning from university, finds his Kingdom in disarray: ‘something is rotten in the state of Denmark’. With his father dead, and his uncle and mother marrying, Hamlet is confronted by an armored ghost, who, claiming to be the King, implores him to enact revenge upon the newlyweds and restore order to the realm. Yet, Hamlet’s ability...
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  • Richard III: Arden Performance Edition
    Richard III is one of Shakespeare's enduring villains as the troubled and troubling figure at the heart of this popular succession drama. Traversing the familiar terrain of scheming plots, proposals, betrayals, and kingly power, this edition is presented in an easy-to-read format with notes for performance and rehearsal by directors and actors. It is edited by academic and director, Abigail...
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  • As You Like It: Arden Performance Editions
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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

A series praised for its innovative layout featuring side-by-side notes that make Shakespeare's text accessible and lively, ideal for actors, directors, students, and teachers alike. Reviewers highlight its clarity, ease of use during performances, and the expert editorial team including Simon Russell Beale, making these editions both practical and enriching for engagement with Shakespeare’s works. MidLifeLit and Ink Pellet commend its contribution to amateur and educational Shakespearean communities.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781474253888

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 19 October 2017

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: The Arden Shakespeare

Contributors:

  • Volume editor Dr Abigail Rokison-Woodall

Audience: Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 32.0mm

Width: 138.0mm

Height: 216.0mm

Weight: 410g

Pages: 432

About the Author

Dr Abigail Rokison-Woodall is Lecturer in Shakespeare and Theatre, The Shakespeare Institute, Stratford-upon-Avon, UK and was formerly a professional actor.

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